The story starts with an email from George in Tianjin (just south of Beijing on the Bohai Sea).  George says they will be in at 7am Wai Gaoqiao Container Port - OK, so if I catch a taxi at 5:45 am I can make it - MONDAY is my crazy day - off to Zha Bei and back to Jia Ding, plus I have to do a speaking test for the students where they stand in front of us and present!  Long story short - I have the Chinese characters for the taxi driver, the taxi is ordered for the morning and a wake up call set. 

Then an email at 9:38 pm, they won't be in until 10 am and to another port!!!  Well, I teach at 10 am - so guess that I don't meet them.  George says they meet me at 1 pm at People's Square - well, People's Square is HUGE and I teach until 1:45!  So I quickly email him my cell phone number and hope that he gets it.  I cancel the taxi and get ready for the usual Monday morning but borrow a friend's Subway magnetic pass - much easier. 

George calls perfectly - right in the middle of class when they are doing tutorial (working more or less on their own with their calculators).  I say let's meet at the #1 subway line at 1:45 pm!  I cancel break for the class (already had) and let them leave a few minutes early - catch the subway and come up in People's Square - but WHICH exit do I take???!?!?  There's only 12!  So I go up one - construction (as almost everywhere!!) so I head down the Pedestrian tunnel and over to another street side. 

DANG, I said to myself - this is going to be really hard!!!  Hmm ...

JUST as the words are going through my brain, I hear:

THERE HE IS!!! 

Turn around to see Pat smiling and George right beside smiling widely as well!  She had seen me and there's that synchronicity again!!!  Laughing!

So we chatted for a while, found a nice place to sit a little and visit.  I left with JUST enough time to reach Jia Ding - luckily I had a REALLY fast driver as we were stuck in traffic for at least 15 mins to start!

Gave the test, etc.

OH - we had planned to meet up again on Tuesday night at 5:30 pm - but the tides turned against us and the ship had to leave!!!

So I was able to teach my students about Carpe Diem as well - SIEZE THE DAY!!!  You never know what will happen tomorrow, so do it now, when you have the chance - TODAY!!!


OK, so Forgive me Pat but I can't find the "Crop" function in Photoshop Lightroom so I am including the whole picture! 



What an amazing adventure, getting to see my Aunt Pat and Uncle George, who JUST DROPPED IN to see me!! 

YES, that's right - CAME ALL THE WAY TO SHANGHAI from VANCOUVER BC just to see me, their favorite nephew of George's younger brother Frank (for those of you who don't know, I HAVE to be their favorite - I'm the ONLY ONE!  - grinning!).  We had a great time!  Even if we only had a chance to visit for a very short time!

SO ... There you go (as George would say) - a very wonderful story and they are doing very well thank you!
Take care all!